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I’ve been wanting to enter some challenges on some scrap blogs, and I’ve also wanted to make more cards. I jumped in and made this card for the challenge over at The Perfect Sentiment (PSC96). The challenge was to create a thank you card with a simple design and include the sentiment on the front of the card. Here is my take on the challenge:

I used a piece of white cardstock as my base and rounded two corners. I added some blue ink to the edges and stamped my sentiment. I then added two diecuts from a coordinated pack of embellishments. I added pop dots to one end of the banner to give it some depth. Then I added a sprinkling of some sequins for a bit of sparkle. This card came together really quickly and I love the festive feel!

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I have a new favorite layout! It often happens when I scrap, that my most recent layout becomes my new favorite. At least until I make another layout! I recently made a custom starburst template, and I used it to make this layout.

I pulled the starburst pieces in from the edge to make a frame around the page. I love how it came out! It was one of those layouts that turned out exactly how I pictured it in my mind. 🙂

I used my template and a bunch of the yummy papers from the My Mind’s Eye collection Kate & Co and went to town! I sewed the edge of each ray with silver thread and it gives just the right touch of shimmer to the layout.

The title is actually from one of the cut apart sheets included in the collection. I inked the edge and put it on pop dots to help set it apart. (I inked all the edges on the entire layout for depth.)

I used a doily to anchor this top cluster – repeating the pins, wood veneer and enamel dots – along with a sprinkling of Mister Huey’s Mist.

A soft pink tag from Dear Lizzie’s collection and some aqua cord from Lawn Fawn gave a base to the final cluster. I again repeated the enamel dots, pins, and wood veneers. You can see how the silver thread shines!

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I was VERY productive at my crop last weekend! Well, productive for *me* – I’m a slow scrapper! So for me to finish 7 layouts – I was happy! I don’t have supply lists for these because I was just in the groove and scrapping. 🙂

Post a comment if you have any questions about any of the layouts or supplies and I’ll do my best to get the answer to you! 🙂

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Just checking my blog stats – and I happened to look at my search engine term results. That’s what people typed into a search engine that resulted in them coming to my blog. I had a couple of crazy things (nail biting pictures – um, ok) and a bunch of predictable results (crafting searches). One recent search caught my eye. Within the past 30 days someone searched for “susan fairchild respiratory therapist.” Yes, those four words all together. Huh. Now I’m curious – who from my past is looking for me?!?! I’ve not been in that field for many years, so it just has me curious!

There was another search for “susan fairchild email address.” I’ll make it easy – it’s my name – yes, the one you just searched for – with a DOT in between the two words, and I use gmail. 🙂 I don’t want to put the full address typed out here because of bot crawlers that search for spammable email addresses.

Ok, enough random stuff….

I went to a crop this weekend and had so much fun! I made 7 layouts! I know that may not sound like a lot to some of you, but for me that’s almost unheard of! I’m a very slow scrapper! I’ll photograph them later today and share them either later tonight or tomorrow! 🙂

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Sometimes the simplest techniques give the most beautiful results. Every time. Embossed resist inking is like that for me. I love to see the image appear as I’m inking the embossed image. It always makes me smile. If you’ve not tried this technique, I encourage you to do so – it’s very satisfying to see the image pop up and look so crisp and pretty. And yet, the technique is so easily done!

For this card, I used some Design Adhesives by Clearsnap. This is a double sided adhesive that comes in many patterns or designs. The design I’m using today is Branches & Blooms. Each package comes with 4 sheets of the adhesive – enough to use on several projects. The adhesive can be used with double sided foil, glitters, embossing powders, flocking, or just about any other material you might think of! (One day I want to try it with some multi-colored foiling flakes.) Today, I’m using embossing powder to share with you this technique.

I started with a sheet of white cardstock and I actually cut apart two of the design sheets and layered on the pieces to get the final shape I wanted. You can see the blue-ish adhesive design here:

You can also see how I was able to cut apart the image – these were the bits I did not use. I’m saving them for another project.

Then I poured on some white embossing powder. I was sure to use detail embossing powder to capture all the fine details in the design. I used a dry paint brush to brush away any stray powder before I applied heat to the design.

After heating the design with my heat gun, it virtually disappears into the white cardstock background. If the light hits it you can see how it is glossy, but it is hard to see.

Next I cut the cardstock down to fit the front of the card I was making. I selected three colors of Mix’d Media Inx – Honey, Denim, and Peridot to color in the background and make the embossed image pop out like magic!

Using the ColorBox stylus tool and blending tips is the easiest way to apply these juicy inks and get a soft background. (see – you can barely see the embossed image on that piece of cardstock! Stay tuned – it’ll show up soon!)

First, I used the Honey Mix’d Media Inx to go around the edge, buffing the color all the way around, to give some shading to the edge. (I had Truffle on standby in case I needed a darker edge later…)

You can see a bit of the image starting to appear in that top left corner!

Then I switched to the Peridot Inx to bring color to the center of the image.

WOW! Do you see how that embossed design popped out there? Isn’t it fabulous? I continued blending and buffing the colors to create the soft look I wanted. (originally I had planned on using some Denim Mix’d Media Inx to give more depth, but I was really enjoying the soft glow of the Peridot and Honey working together, so I set the Denim back and didn’t end up using it.)

Next I added a mat of a cinnamon colored cardstock to add a thin frame to the piece. I also heat embossed a simple greeting to the card. (in hindsight I could have embossed that image at the beginning when I embossed the design, but this worked just as well)

It still seemed to be missing some finishing touch, so I removed it from the card and ran it through my sewing machine to give some detail and texture to the edge.

Here is my finished card:

This card came together so quickly! I think this technique is lots of fun and gives such a sophisticated result! This technique can be adapted to so many cards or projects – any color of ink, any design of stamp or design adhesive – the possibilities are limitless! I hope this tutorial inspires you to try this technique!

We are still recovering from the storm, and every day brings us closer to normal. We are back in our home after a lengthy hotel stay, and that is the best part!

I had a spreadsheet with all my gratitude ideas, and was writing the paragraphs daily as I posted. SO, here are my gratitudes for the rest of November, in a list. 🙂

#6 Living in this country, and enjoying the freedoms I have.
#7 My oldest son, Logan, who loves to play violin.
#8 My son, Tyler – a budding cellist who wants to learn even more instruments!
#9 My daughter, Sarah – who is SO much like me!
#10 My son, Brandon – Sarah’s twin – and an endless source of energy, till he wears himself out, then randomly just goes to bed!
#11 Dear friends – those that accept me for who I am. 🙂
#12 Scrapbooking – my creative outlet that keeps me sane!
#13 A handy hubby – he’s worth his weight in gold! He’s not afraid to tackle any project.
#14 My sister – I think we are closer friends now as adults than we were as children – and we were close then!
#15 Neighbors that are helpful and willing to keep an eye out for us. They are also friends.
#16 Security – the ability to be a stay at home mom is such a blessing!
#17 Intelligent, happy, healthy children. I am SO blessed!
#18 Foundations in faith.
#19 Extended Family
#20 Stars – I love gazing up at them!
#21 Internet – keeping me connected, providing entertainment, and as a resource.
#22 Plenty of food – we don’t worry about our next meal like so many families in the world.
#23 Photography – a new perspective
#24 Vehicles – dependable means of transportation
#25 Sewing – a useful skill
#26 Music – a calming melody, a melancholy tune, or a song to dance.
#27 Dogs – totally adore my poodles!
#28 Naps – As every adult can attest – they are beautiful….for adults and kids alike!
#29 Dr. Pepper – my vice!
#30 Love – giving and receiving. ❤

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MY HUSBAND! I am so thankful for my husband. He is my best friend. He is my confidant. He makes me want to be a better person. He is kind, gentle, a great father and wonderful companion. I am so very happy to be married to him. We’ve been married 16 years now, and I look forward to all the years to come. It’s one of those funny time tricks – it feels like we just got married, but it also feels like we’ve been married for forever already. I fall deeper in love with him every day. He never ceases to surprise me with the depth of his love for me. I hope that I reflect that love for him every day. I want him to know how much I love him – with every fiber of my being I am IN LOVE.

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HOSTA. I love hosta. I don’t have a reason other than I believe they are beautiful. I’m partial to variegated varieties. A few years ago we added some varieties of hosta to our landscaping. Well, all but one died off. I’m not sure why the others didn’t make it, but this one hosta comes back every year. And every year, when it pops up, I smile. I really do love that little hosta. He’s variegated – it was my favorite one we planted.

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FLIP FLOPS! I am SO thankful that I live in an area where I can wear flip flops practically year round. Even when the weather is too cold to wear them I can at times be found with them on my feet! I’ll wear them around the house if nothing else – they are my “cooler-than-slippers” slippers. So easy to slip on as I run out the door to get kids from school, or out to run errands, or walk down to the mail box. As a kid I often ran around barefoot. I think this is my grown up version of being barefoot – wearing flip flops as often as I can.